Women Rights and Gender Based Violence
Advocating for a world without Gender Based Violence
Gender Based Violence
31% of women in Ghana have experienced Gender based violence in one fashion or another. Be it; physical, psychological economic or sexual. These atrocities are not limited to adults too but girls who in the hands of care-givers, family and their communities experience violence such as Female Genital Mutilation. Due to societal norms and structures, some of these issues are not followed up living survivors in isolation and unable to seek justice . Lack of information access and understanding leaves families in distress with no idea of how they can seek help or justice.
Like in Many African countries, there exist certain stereotypes and belief which perpetuate Gender based violence. Internalised beliefs such as viewing women and girls to be lesser create an environment where violence thrives. Women and girls of all walks of life remain vulnerable to this. An example is the existence of GBV at the work place, an environment with rules and codes of conduct. These forms materialise as harassment, verbal abuse, financial where women are paid less and in extreme cases physical/ sexual.
To ensure no woman is suffering in silence and that such violations cease, there is a need to evaluate policies and structures that allow for them to persist. Dialogue in communities with all involved to impact people with basic knowledge and demystify stereotypes that propagate violence is key to ending GBV. Calling out work-place practices that shame survivors who come forth to seek help and evaluating labor laws is paramount in our current reality.
GenCED promotes integrated approaches to ensure that all women and girls live a life free from all forms of violence both in private and public life. These include supporting national advocacy on the ratification of the ILO 190 on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in the world of work, since 2021, GenCED’s work has always included this and to strengthen monitoring for and standards to end violence against women and girls (VAWG) and helping to craft and implement national action plans to prevent violence and promote positive social norms.
Women Rights and Gender Based Violence
In light of the constitution, Maputo protocol and Solemn declaration on Human Rightsguidelines on protection against discrimination and violence on women are outlined. protocol
- GenCED monitors the implementation of this frameworks through scorecards and offers recommendation
- Monitoring the repots of violence from law enforcement and media and call for reaction
- Sensitise communities at grassroot level on dangers of certain beliefs and practices
- Collaborate with governmnet bodies such as the ministry of gender to effectively implement the constitution
- Facilitate important dialogue between communities and duty bearers
- Hold accountable respective government bodies and corporate organisations on toxic work environments